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Sexual Harassement Domestic Violence Arab Citizens Public Opinion 2019
Sexual Harassement Domestic Violence Arab Citizens Public Opinion 2019
Sexual Harassement Domestic Violence Arab Citizens Public Opinion 2019
Domestic Violence
in the Middle East and North Africa
December 2019
J U LY 201 8
Donia Smaali Bouhlila
University of Tunis El Manar
Faculté des Sciences Economiques
et de Gestion de Tunis
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Key Findings
• Verbal sexual harassment in public places is more frequent than physical
sexual harassment in all the participating countries (29 percent against 18
percent).
• Women still bear the burden of sexual harassment in public places in al-
most all the participating countries where around 39 percent of the female
respondents are victims of sexual harassment in public places, against 22
percent of male respondents.
• In Iraq men are more concerned with the burden of sexual harassment
in public places. More men than women (42 percent against 35 percent
reported having experienced sexual harassment. Men are more victims of
sexual harassment in Dhi Qar.
• Young women aged 17-28 years old face more sexual harassment than
their older peers.
• All females and males living in rural areas of Lebanon face domestic vio-
lence.
• The victims of domestic violence in the Arab countries seek help from rel-
atives in other words from the family. Domestic violence is still considered
a private family matter.
www.arabbarometer.org 2
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Most of the surveyed people across the participating countries reported that
they “rarely” experienced verbal and physical sexual harassment in the past 12
months. Regarding verbal sexual harassment, from 2 percent to 12 percent of
the surveyed people declared being “sometimes” exposed to verbal sexual ha-
rassment. The highest proportions are observed in Egypt (10 percent), Iraq (10
percent) and Morocco (11 percent). The lowest proportion which is around 2
percent is observed in Tunisia. For the category “often”, around 2 percent of the
respondents declared that they are often victims of verbal sexual harassment in
Palestine against 7 percent in Morocco.
www.arabbarometer.org 3
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
42
t
yp
Eg
36
q
Ira 35
ia en co an
oc ud
34
S
30
Ye or
M
m
27
g er
25
Al
n
no
ba
23
Le
e
tin
es
21
l
Pa
an
rd
Jo
19
a
by
Li
13
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
The frequencies of the physical sexual harassment are not so different. For those
who responded “sometimes”, the proportions vary from 1 percent in Jordan,
Libya and Tunisia to 8 percent in Sudan and 7 percent in Algeria, Egypt and Mo-
rocco. Likewise, around 3 percent of the participants in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon
and Sudan declared that they are “often” physically harassed in public places.
www.arabbarometer.org 4
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
29
n
Ira occ ger gy uda
29
S
p t
E
i a
23
23
Al
o
19
or
M
19
n
is stin me no
a
18
Ye eb
n
L
11
e
7
Tu ale
ia
P
n
6
n
by rda
Jo
5
a
Li
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
Verbal sexual harassment in public places is more frequent than physical sexual
harassment in all the countries under study (29 percent against 18 percent).
The figures also highlight the fact that in countries where verbal harassment is
high, physical harassment is also high and vice versa.
The figure below shows the distribution of sexual harassment by country. Sexual
harassment is prevalent in all the Arab countries participating in the survey. Sex-
ual harassment is most common in Egypt (44 percent) and Sudan (38 percent).
Lower rates of sexual harassment are reported in Libya (20 percent) and Tunisia
(15 percent).
www.arabbarometer.org 5
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
44
t
yp
Eg
39
q
Ira 38
ia en co an
oc ud
36
S
32
Ye or
M
m
31
g er
26
Al
n
no
ba
25
Le
e
tin
es
22
l
Pa
an
rd
Jo
20
a
by
Li
15
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 6
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
63
pt
m ud roc Egy
55
ria en an co 50
o
M
44
Ye S
39
ge
35
Al
q
Ira
33
n
by no tin rda
ba ales Jo
31
e
29
n
P
25
Le
a
Li
14
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 7
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
42
q
Ira
27
t
yp
Eg
e en on ria an
d 27
ro les Yem ba Alg Su
24
e
22
n
21
Le
19
cc tin
16
Pa
16
Tu Mo
ia
n is
15
a
by
Li
11
an
rd
Jo
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
In Tunisia, around 16 percent of the surveyed women reported that they have
been exposed to sexual harassment in public places. In contrast, 16 percent of
the surveyed men declared that they were harassed. The picture is somewhat
different in Iraq where men are more concerned with the burden of sexual ha-
rassment in public places. More men than women (42 percent against 35 per-
cent) reported having experienced sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment happens in all age groups. Young women aged 17-28 years
old face more sexual harassment than their older peers. The Arab Barometer
wave V data (2018-2019) highlight that around 90 percent of the young re-
spondents (aged 17-28) in Egypt have experienced sexual harassment in public
places. In addition, more than 50 percent of these young women are more likely
to be publicly harassed in Algeria, Jordan, Sudan and Yemen. Besides, between
35 percent and 45 percent of women in the same age group declared being
harassed in Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Tunisia.
www.arabbarometer.org 8
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
90
pt
da me rda er occ gy
E 89
o
61
Su Ye Jo Alg or
M
ia
52
n
52
n
51
n
44
q
Ira
44
ia on ine
st
40
Tu Leb ale
P
a n
36
n is
35
a
by
Li
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 9
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
85
pt
m ud roc Egy 76
ia en an co
59
o
M
48
Ye S
47
g er
35
Al
n
no
ba
33
Le
an
rd
Jo
33
e
tin
es
32
l
Pa
q
Ira
25
a
by
Li
15
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 10
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
43
n
da
Su
36
t
yp
Egm
en 32
Ye
29
q
Ira
27
co ria
oc lge
22
A
21
or
M
an
rd
Jo
19
n
no
ba
17
Le
e
tin
es
14
l
Pa
a
by
Li
8
ia
nis
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
It is worthy to note that though gender seems to play a role in how widespread
sexual harassment is, age is the bigger divider. In Sudan, age group differences
among females who have experienced sexual harassment are lower compared
to the all Arab countries in the survey. The difference between women in age
group 1 (17-28) and age group 2 (29-40) is negative. This points to the fact that
women between 29-40 years old are more exposed to sexual harassment than
younger women (59 percent against 51 percent).
Regarding, Iraq and Tunisia where men are more exposed to sexual harassment
than women ; by age group, 45 percent of 17- to 28-year-olds say they have
been victims of sexual harassment in Iraq, compared with 37 percent of men
aged more than or equal to 41 years old. In Tunisia, sexual harassment against
men is prevalent in both age groups 1 and 2 where around 20 percent, and
19 percent of the respondents, respectively, say that they are victims of sexual
harassment.
www.arabbarometer.org 11
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
45
q
Ira
33
t
an co sia ya ine non en eria dan yp
Eg
31
le eba Ye Alg Su
30
28
m
28
27
L
st
23
Pa
i b
L
20
n i
20
or Tu
o c
13
M
rd
Jo
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 12
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
42
q
Ira
33
pt
cc me stin nis ano ger uda gy
E
n
28
26
S
i a
25
Al
n
19
Ye ale Tu eb
a
L
18
e
15
n
P
15
o
o
15
or
M
n
by rda
Jo
14
a
Li
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 13
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
37
q
Ira
21
n
cc tin gy me ano ger uda 18
S
i a
17
Al
n
16
b
Le
n
E Ye
13
p t
11
e
ro les
11
Pa
10
Tu Mo
i a
n is
8
a
by
Li
5
an
rd
Jo
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 14
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
47
pt
m ud Egy
47
n an
42
S
e
Ye
40
q
Ira
39
ia co
c
ba ales Alg oro
32
M
by rda no tin er
27
e
27
n
P
22
Le
n
Jo
21
a
Li
16
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 15
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
43
t
yp
Eg
35
q
Ira 33
ia co an
d
ba ales Jo Ye Alg oro Su
31
c
29
M
by no tin rda me er
28
n
19
n
14
e
14
n
P
14
Le
a
Li
14
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
The data also shows that in Palestine, people living in refugee camp are more ex-
posed to sexual harassment than people living in rural areas (25 percent against
15 percent).
In this section, we identify the govrnorates with the highest rates of sexual ha-
rassment against women in all the countries participating in the survey (2018-
2019). In addition, we indicate the governorates with the highest rate of sexual
harassment against men in Iraq and Tunisia.
www.arabbarometer.org 16
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Algeria
Algeria
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates: Ain
Timouchent, Djelfa, Ain defla, Bejaia, Oum El Bouaghi, Guelma and El Traf. It
is between 59 percent and 86 percent. The highest rate is observed in Ain
Timouchent (86 percent).
Figure 11
www.arabbarometer.org 17
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Egypt
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates: Al
Buhayrah, Dumyat , Al Minya ,Asyut, Suhag, Alexandria, Cairo and Suez. The
Egypt highest rate is observed in Dumyat (around 93 percent).
Figure 12
www.arabbarometer.org 18
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Jordan
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates:
Madaba and Aqaba. Madaba shows the highest rate (around 58 percent).
Jordan
Figure 13
www.arabbarometer.org 19
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon shows the highest rates of sexual harassment in the governorates of
South and Beirut. The capital Beirut recorded the highest rate (around 47
percent).
Figure 14
www.arabbarometer.org 20
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Libya
Sexual
Libya harassment against women is high in the following governorates: Al
Jabal Al Akhdar, Sebha, Tobrouq and Tripoli. Tobrouq has the highest rate
(around 46 percent).
Figure 15
www.arabbarometer.org 21
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Morocco
Rabat, Salé and Kenitra are the governorates with the highest rates of sexual
harassment against women in Morocco ( around 68 percent).
Morocco
Figure 16
www.arabbarometer.org 22
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Palestine
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates: Deir
al Balah, Rafah and Jerusalem. The highest rate is observed in Rafah (around
Palestine
51 percent).
Figure 17
www.arabbarometer.org 23
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Sudan
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates:
North and River Nile. Around 91 percent of the surveyed women living in the
River Nile are victims of sexual harassment.
Sudan
Figure 18
www.arabbarometer.org 24
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Yemen
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates: Al
Hudaydah, Raymah, Adan and Abyan. It is in Abyan where women are more
Yemen
at risk of being victims of sexual harassment (around 94 percent).
Figure 19
www.arabbarometer.org 25
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Iraq, females
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates:
Iraq Najaf, Babylone and Erbil. The highest rate is observed in Erbil (around
57percent).
Figure 20
www.arabbarometer.org 26
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Iraq, males
Sexual harassment against men is high in the following governorates: Najaf,
Baghdad , Kirkuk, Dhi Qar and Al Basra. Men are victims of sexual
harassment in Dhi Qar (around 88 percent).
Figure 21
www.arabbarometer.org 27
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Tunisia
Tunisia, females
Sexual harassment against women is high in the following governorates:
Tataouine and Kairouan. Women living Kairouan are more exposed to sexual
harassment (around 28 percent).
Figure 22
www.arabbarometer.org 28
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Figure 22
Tunisia, males
Sexual harassment against men is high in the following governorates: Bizerte,
Sousse, Ben Arous and Monastir. The highest rate is recorded in Bizerte
(around 43 percent).
Figure 23
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a broad term as it may include child abuse, abuse of the
elderly, in addition to the intimate partner violence. Domestic violence assessed
by Arab Barometer Wave V is the physical violence or abuse perpetrated by a
member of a family on another member of the family. It was assessed using
“yes-no” question describing violent acts such as pushed, grabbed, or shoved;
having an object thrown at the victim; or being slapped. The variables of inter-
est were: (1) the timing of the violence (ever experienced domestic violence or
in the past 12 months), (2) the domestic violence gender victim, and (3) the
domestic violence support actors.
The following figures highlight the prevalence of domestic violence in the partic-
ipating countries. The results are somewhat reassuring. They show that this type
of violence does not seem to be widespread in the Arab countries. From approx-
imately 70 percent to more than 70 percent of the respondents, reported that
www.arabbarometer.org 29
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
26
an yp cco en
Eg oro Yem
25
23
M
22
d
Su
21
ia
g er
14
Al
e
tin
es
12
l
Pa
q
Ira
7
a
si n o d a i b y
L
6
n
r
Jo
6
n
a
6
Tu Leb
a
ni
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
The prevalence of physical abuse in the past 12 months provides another pic-
ture of this phenomenon. Roughly half of the respondents to more than half of
them, in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen,
reported that one of their household members has experienced this type of be-
havior in the last 12 months. This proportion rises to more than 70 percent in
Iraq Libya and Palestine.
www.arabbarometer.org 30
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
75
e
in
st
73
le
Pa
a
by
Li
72
q
Ira
n 68
er gy ano nis uda occ rda me
Jo Ye
62
n
57
o
55
or
M
53
S
i a
50
Tu
n
48
b
Le
pt
E
48
ia
g
Al
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
The following figures highlight the domestic violence gender victim. It is clear
that males are victims of domestic violence in the majority of countries under
study: Algeria (34percent), Iraq (49 percent), Jordan (48 percent), Libya (66 per-
cent), Palestine (51 percent), Sudan (41 percent) and Tunisia (52 percent). Fe-
males are victims of domestic violence in Egypt (43 percent), Lebanon (56 per-
cent) and Morocco (35 percent).
www.arabbarometer.org 31
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
70
a en
st uni Lib em
66
Y
y
52
a
si
51
T
e
in
49
le
Pa
q
Ira
48
n
no gy occ ger uda rda
Jo
41
n
34
S
i a
29
Al
o
26
E or
M
p t
18
n
ba
Le
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 32
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
56
on
m ud unis roc Egy an
43
b
Le
p t
35
c o 32
T Mo
i a
25
a n
19
S
e n
Ye
18
e
tin
es
17
l
Pa
q
Ira
17
a
by
Li
16
ia
g er
11
Al
an
rd
Jo
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 33
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
50
ia
Ira occ rda ger
40
Jo Al
n
36
o 34
or
M
32
en isia bya non yp tine dan
Su
30
s
29
le
Pa
t
Eg
26
ba
17
Le
L i
15
n
11
Ye Tu
m
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
In urban areas of Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Morocco, males suffer from
domestic violence. In rural areas of Libya, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen,
males experience more domestic violence. Females are more exposed to do-
mestic violence in urban areas of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya and Palestine. It
is in rural areas of Iraq, Morocco and Sudan, where females experience domestic
violence. The figures also show that both females and males living in rural areas
of Lebanon face domestic violence (100 percent). This rate is also high In Algeria
(70 percent).
www.arabbarometer.org 34
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
69
a en
st Lib em
60
Y
y
51
e
in
50
le
Pa
an
rd
Jo
49
q
Ira
45
ia
no gy occ ger uda nis
41
Tu
n
36
S
i a
35
Al
o
31
E or
M
p t
18
n
ba
Le
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 35
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
57
n
Ira er stin Liby me uda occ gy nis ano
46
b
Le
i a
43
E Tu
o p t 31
23
or
M
20
S
n
Ye
20
a
19
e
18
Al ale
a
P
i
g
14
q
12
an
rd
Jo
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 36
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
46
ria
ge
38
Al
an
rd
Jo 36
q
Ira
on ine an cco 34
Eg ba les Su oro
34
M
d
29
t
26
Le Pa
n
23
t
yp
20
a
by
Li
10
en
m
Ye
9
ia
n is
Tu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 37
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
92
a en ya
st uni em Lib
70
Y 64
si
57
T
e
in
48
le
Pa
q
Ira
42
n
er gy occ rda uda
38
S
n
Jo
23
o
22
E or
M
pt
22
ia
g
0
Al
n
no
ba
Le
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 38
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
42
t
yp
Eg
40
co
oc
M
or 26
n
da
Su
q 25
Ira
19
n
no tin iby rda ger nis me
Ye
10
i a
8
Tu
i a
6
Al
n
L Jo
4
a
3
e
ba ales
0
n
LeP
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 39
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
100
38
M Pa
c
34
t
an yp
31
d
Su
26
q
Ira
26
ia
by me nis
11
Ye Tu
n
4
a
Li
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent
Notes: Weighted estimates.
Source: Arab Barometer V.
www.arabbarometer.org 40
Arab Barometer – Wave V
Topic Report – Domestic Violence
Morocco Libya
www.arabbarometer.org 41
About Arab Barometer
The Arab Barometer is a nonpartisan research network that
provides insights into the social, political, and economic attitudes
and values of ordinary citizens across the Arab world.